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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23044219">Sleepover</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunTheJewels/pseuds/RunTheJewels'>RunTheJewels</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bear on Bear action, Developing Relationship, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Romance, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:55:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23044219</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunTheJewels/pseuds/RunTheJewels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hey, you know that song "Two Trucks"? Here's a totally unrelated fic</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brian Harding/Dadsona</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sleepover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm sorry (No I'm not)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A sleepover, she requested. More like begged. Not that she needed to. Amanda was a wonderful young woman and Brian, happy to see his Daisy making friends, had no problem letting her and a few others spend the night. He even promised to give them the house to themselves, let her enjoy herself without her old man watching over her shoulder.</p><p>At least, that was part of the reason. He wasn’t entirely selfless.</p><p>As Brian came to a park and left the car, he noticed little light came through the windows of Amanda’s home. Her father, Darius, had left the door open for him, as he said he would as soon as plans had been made. Pushing his way through and locking it, he could hear the man speaking from up the stairs, the quiet, deep and enticing rumble of his voice. And not at all like an eager puppy, Brian followed the sound, bounding up the stairs to a closed door.</p><p>Brian knocked once and then pushed his way into the man’s bedroom. Darius was on the phone, speaking to his daughter, asking all kinds of questions. Are all the doors locked, do you all have enough food, is everyone’s phone on ring and more and more worrying. It was as endearing as it was heart-wrenching. Brian knew the story of Alex, Darius’ wife. He knew it was why he worried so over something so small. It was also why Amanda bore his questions with more patience and ease than most would. Leaving him to it, Brian stepped up to the dresser and started to rid himself of the contents of his pocket, his wallet, his keys, his own phone, turned to vibrate.</p><p>Movement caught his attention and a warm, strong hand landed gently on his shoulder. Darius had come up to him, still on the phone. The hand slid across his back to the other shoulder, pulling him into a one-handed but firm hug. Brian’s own hand immediately dropped down to his lower back, rubbing the space there, slightly but not completely accidentally lifting the shirt up. As sweet and tender as they were being, Brian was invited for a reason.</p><p>He was close enough to Darius’ phone to hear Amanda’s replies. It was clear her father’s fussing was becoming exhausting. Brian had even less of this famous patience. He pressed a kiss to the black-bearded line of the man’s jaw, and made his way down the thick muscles of his throat, feeling them vibrate under his dark brown skin. He could feel Darius’ mouth moving even if he was no longer paying attention to what was being said and felt his coarse beard scratching against his face. It was a novel feeling. Brian once joked that if they spent long enough kissing, they’d start a fire. If he’d get off the phone, they could finally try.</p><p>Just as soon as he wished it, the call was ending. As soon as Darius had put his phone down, Brian’s hand took hold of his chin and pulled him in. A kiss, a lot shorter and more chaste than what he had planned for their evening. A simple act of greeting; it had been four weeks since they had last been able to get together. As cool as he acted, Brian was excited to see him.</p><p>They had been going at this, or at each other, for three months now. From rivals, to near enemies, to friends with benefits and now actual friends, just with the extra benefits of an orgasm or three. The last time Brian could lay completely naked in bed with someone and just talk, joke and laugh, he was married. So he was still unsure of what they were. But if he was being honest with himself, it was because he didn’t want to push, for fear of losing this.</p><p>“You stayin’ the night?” Darius was already slipping off Brian’s green overshirt, hands running down his arms, his sides, his chest.</p><p>Brian’s own hand remained where it was, the second hand joining it. “Only cause you want me to.”</p><p>The man’s lip curled up into a very rare smile. “You can always leave when I’m done with you.”</p><p>“But why would I do that when I know how happy you’ll be if I stay?”</p><p>Darius snorted. How such a big, stoic man could make such an adorable sound was beyond him. What does it mean when he finds himself wanting to hear the man laugh more than anything else? A rhetorical question. Brian already knows. Doesn’t mean he has to acknowledge it just yet.</p><p>Instead, he kisses Darius again. Darius pushes it to it, his tongue forcing its way past already open lips and running around every corner of Brian’s mouth. He takes two handfuls of Brian’s white shirt and begins to pull it out of his shorts. Before, Brian might have been a bit bashful. To be clear, he had little issue with his appearance. Darius didn’t look much different. A bit slimmer around the waist but age had left fat over solid and strong muscle. But the initial apprehension was here and gone quickly. Darius had never shown anything less than the utmost admiration for him, staring every chance he got and giving Brian little smirks whenever he had been caught in public. The things he did and said in private made Brian wonder why he ever put up with anything less.</p><p>The sound and feel of warm lips against his chest pull him from his own head. Darius sinks to his knees, pressing kisses to every bit of exposed skin he could find. The man unfastened his shorts, as fast as if he had put them on himself and mouthed at the thin fabric underneath. Big hands clutched Brian’s tights through his clothes, pulling him further in and holding him in place. It was a talent, Brian thought. To be the one on your knees but remain in near total control. He didn’t mind receiving or being led, of course, but more than once has he imagined Darius underneath him, sweaty and writhing and begging him not to stop. Eventually.</p><p>With as little words as has passed between them so far, Darius yanked his underwear down, narrowly avoiding an angry red erection to the eye and headbutting Brian’s belly when Brian laughed at him.</p><p>The resulting swallow did more to knock the wind out of Brian’s lungs than the headbutt did. “Fuck, Darius,” he groaned harshly, falling heavily against a nearby wall. Darius pulled back towards the tip before pushing back down, ripping another moan from Brian’s throat. Realizing when he was thoroughly beat for control, Brian just put his hands on Darius’ head and rested them there, watching in slack-jawed awe as Darius bobbed up and down on his cock.</p><p>“You’re so good,” Brian muttered, just barely coherent, “So good to me, Darry. So good.” Darius’ arms on his thighs wrapped entirely around his waist to pull him in and hold him there. The hands behind them ran up and down the length of Brian’s exposed legs, some parts of his lower back. It was gentle and without purpose. Brian wasn’t so deep in denial as to pretend that there wasn’t an element of affection to what they were doing. Despite how they started out, he really liked this man and was sure Darius liked him too. A man who rarely smiles but does so for you must like you in some way, right?</p><p>The hands on Darius’s skull tightened, stopping his movements. Then they dropped down, hooking underneath the man’s arms and heaving him to his feet. Brian was taking back some modicum of control, kicking off the clothing that had gathered around his legs and guiding, practically shoving Darius away from the wall and down towards the bed. Darius’ legs lifted before they hit the edge, allowing him to deftly crawl on and for Brian to follow. One time of misjudging their distance from the edge and collapsing on top of each other was enough of a lesson, which only served to make the second and third time it happened more aggravating. Throes of ecstasy and all that. Darius was a sturdy man but Brian was still rather heavyset. Having all of that weight freefall onto your chest was far from enjoyable, even if it left them both giggling like little girls at a sleepover.</p><p>Besides, this was another way Brian liked him. On his back, between Brian’s legs, his form spread out and taking up the entirety of the bed. Brian beckons him to sit up slightly, so he could remove that damnable shirt. Darius went for his chest in the meanwhile, mouth and tongue roving over every bit of hairy skin until Brian could finally pull the garment over his head.</p><p>Darius fell back onto the bed, sinking into the mattress with a sigh. Brian watched him, watched his broad chest and soft stomach rise and fall like bellows with each breath. The blinds had remained slightly open, letting moonlight stream in and turning his skin into a glowing, mesmerizing shade of dark blue that could leave Brian staring at him all night, if they were not careful.</p><p>“I missed you,” Brian murmured, digging his hands into those mountains Darius called shoulders. Darius stared back, his eyes hooded but just as intense. Brian’s hands slipped down to his chest. “These,” he then said, cupping the pecs, “I was talking to these beauties .” Darius nearly bucked him off, barking with laughter.</p><p>Brian slid back on Darius’ legs and pushed himself in between. He mouthed at the nipple, moaning when a hand wrapped around his head. A puff of hot air blew through his hair as Darius let out a sharp exhale and a grunt. Brian’s mouth widened and took in as much of the pectoral as he could muster, teeth pressing into skin not hard enough to break it but enough to really hold Darius’ attention.</p><p>And hold it he did. Darius had folded almost entirely into himself, licking and biting at Brian’s ear and cheek, his ‘attention’ pushing hard into Brian’s weighty gut. Brian pulled off, licking his way up the muscle and back to Darius’ mouth, tongues meeting before lips in an almost obscene way. Darius’ hands ran down the entirety of his back, breaking the kiss so that he could reach and grope lower.</p><p>Brian leaned up to kiss him once more before dropping down low. He wasted no time taking him. His tongue slid down the length, the shaft warm in his mouth. Brian pulled off, pressing gentle kisses along the shaft and licking his way back up. Darius’ hips twitched, both his hands running into his hair and grabbing on. Brian rose up on his elbows and relaxed his jaw. He tapped the other man’s thigh and gave him the go-ahead.</p><p>Darius’ hips rolled upwards, pushing his dick further into Brian’s mouth. Slow, then faster, harder, his hands guiding Brian’s head in tandem with his gentle but strong thrusts. One hand let go of his head and combed through his hair. Under the wet and soft sounds that filled the room, Brian could hear him talking. “Do you know how you look with my cock in your mouth?” He murmured.</p><p>Brian pulled off with a pop. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”</p><p>“Of course you’d stop just to get the last word in. Of course.” Darius reached down and put his hands beneath Brian’s legs, guiding him up and back to his mouth. Brian kissed him again, his tongue pushing into his mouth so he could taste himself. Darius’ hands moved up to his ass, pressing down and rolling his hips up at the same time. Brian’s entire body clenched, a moan escaping his throat into the other. The kiss broke but he could still feel Darius grinning against his mouth. “That’s all it takes, huh? You really must be ready to blow.”</p><p>“Quiet,” Brian growled, not unkindly. Still grinning, Darius just did it again. Brian rolled his own hips, meeting him halfway and smiled himself when that cocky smirk on his face faltered.</p><p>Brian straightened up, blowing out a long breath of air and pushing damp hair off of his sweat-slick forehead. He reached over to the side, towards Darius’ nightstand and opened it. Darius’ arms wrapped tight around Brian’s waist, keeping him from tipping over at such a precarious position until he had found what he was searching for.</p><p>“New bottle?” Brian shoved the drawer closed and pushed himself back up with Darius’ help. He popped the cap.</p><p>“We finished the last one, remember?”</p><p>Brian shook his head. “No, I remember we left it half full.” He poured a generous amount into his open palm, closed it and tossed the bottle back onto the nightstand.</p><p>“Fine, <em> I </em> finished the last of it.” Darius wiggled himself slightly out from under Brian, letting Brian reach and coat them both in the oil. “You were busy. Had to take care of myself.”</p><p>“I’ll try not to leave you deprived for so long next time,” Brian chuckled, moving his oily hands to the other man’s chest and rolling his hips upwards.</p><p>Darius let out a small groan, deep in his belly. “See that you don’t,” he replied. He began to move his hands back to Brian’s thighs but Brian caught them first, raising them and pinning them over his head. Darius was so used to being dominant, one simple move like that and the man’s eyebrows nearly shot off his head. But there was no resistance. Not when Brian pushed the man’s thighs open and fit himself in between and not when one of the hands keeping Darius’ in place dropped down to hook the man’s thigh around Brian’s waist. Either Darius was always open to being led or Brian was a special case. Either way, the thought of one day having him on his face down in a pillow or hands spread against the wall while Brian took him hard from behind spurred him on something fierce. No more being kept away so long. Brian would find his way back into this man’s bed, as soon as he was able.</p><p>Brian’s other hand let go of Darius’ arms, letting them fall over and around his shoulders and neck. As before, Brian rolled his hips, forcing his cock roughly against the other and Darius thrust up to meet him. Their pace began slow, steady and deliberate but disjointed though they only needed seconds to find their rhythm. But as soon as it was found, the pace picked up. It was gradual; grinding against each other slow and forceful at first. Then more and more until they were going at each other fast and rough, long and hard. There were no words save for the occasional curse. The friction and the spine-tingling pleasure it brought left little room for much thought. Just deep-voiced groans, sounds of skin colliding, of lips pressing briefly against each other and the bed rocking against the back wall.</p><p>Darius’ hands left his shoulders and dropped back down to where they always were, taking two large handfuls of his ass while Brian wrapped him in an even tighter embrace. The kiss that followed was as gentle as their fucking, full of wrestling tongues and clashing teeth. Darius’ legs hooked behind Brian’s ankles and spread them apart, restricting Brian’s movements but forcing their cocks even further together.</p><p>This was what Brian had come to love the most. He could barely remember the last time he could just lose himself with another person. Groan and curse loudly as he wanted, move around as he wanted, take his lover in every which way with abandon. Their mouths had separated for air, pressing together only on occasion throughout their grinding. Brian stared into his eyes throughout, his heart pounding from everything he could see in those dark eyes of his. Also the exertion; this man was winding him.</p><p>The sounds of mouths, moans and skin, the feel of Darius’ cock against his and their balls rolling together, it was a wonder Brian lasted as long as he did. Fingers dug sharply into his ass and Darius’ entire body seized and convulsed with a loud and strangled groan. Brian could feel the man’s cock jerking beneath him and warmth filled the space between. Naturally, their pace slowed. Darius released his hold on Brian’s legs and let him roll off to the side.</p><p>Brian adjusted himself on his back on the mattress, pushing an arm underneath Darius’ neck and wrapping it around his shoulders, pulling him closer. The other hand curled tightly around his cock and pumped. Darius’ lips, wet and warm, pressed kisses up and down his neck, his chest, his hands stroked the inner side of Brian’s thigh until Brian’s own heaving moans filled the room; cum striping the length of his chest.</p><p>The arm around Darius’ shoulder relaxed, letting him move away. He did, pushing himself up on shaky arms, something that had Brian’s lips tugging upwards with pride. He got to his feet, stretched deeply and trudged around the bed. “Come on,” Darius said, “Shower.” He swat at Brian’s feet as he passed. Brian gently kicked him back but took the hand that was outstretched and was pulled out of bed. Darius led him to the bathroom, only letting go of his hand to turn on the water and test the heat.</p><p>Washing was perfunctory and most of their time in the shower was spent enjoying the heat as well as pushing the other out of the way. Darius shut off the water when he deemed them both clean while Brian located towels in the bathroom’s small closet; they had been at this for a while, he knew where Darius kept them. “The grey one,” he heard Darius say, “That one’s yours.”</p><p>Brian turned picked it up and turned, seeing Darius walking out while running a towel over his head. “You got me my own towel?” He asked.</p><p>“The green toothbrush is yours too,” came the reply. Brian’s eyes fell, finding it. He wrapped the towel around his waist and picked it up, running his hand over the soft bristles.</p><p>He put it down and quickly stepped outside. “Hey uh, thanks,” he said, “For the towels. And the brush.”</p><p>Darius, who had dried off and pulled on a pair of nylon shorts, was changing out the damp sheets. “Sure” he replied, “There are clothes in the closet if you want something to sleep in.” Brian’s head jerked in a quick nod, stepping over. A pair of gym shorts, a bit tight but doable. He’d forgo a shirt. Darius had moved back over to the bathroom while Brian crawled onto the bed, angling himself so he could watch him. Darius was at the damp mirror, running something through his beard.</p><p>“Why do you do that?”</p><p>Darius turned, a small comb in his hand. “Do what?”</p><p>“That whole…” Brian gestured to his face, “Routine.”</p><p>Darius snorted. “‘Routine’,” he imitated. He twisted the cap off a bottle of coconut oil and took out a bit on his fingers, rubbing it together in his hands before running his hands through his wiry, black hair, “Just something I do after every shower.”</p><p>“But what’s it for?”</p><p>He took another small glob and started running it into his beard, thoroughly going over the set of hair before running the small comb through it again. “My kind of hair is hell to comb while dry,” he said, laughing, “Amanda is still mad at me for when I would comb her hair as a child. So best to do it while wet. And the oil locks in water, keeps it from drying out. Dry hair itches like hell.” Darius closed the bottle and shut off the lights, leaving the moon as their only light through the windows.</p><p>Brian felt the man crawl into bed. He opened his arms and felt Darius push up against him, chest to chest, wrapping his arms around Brian’s back. “We can do this...each other, at my place some time,” Brian said, smiling when he felt Darius huff out a laugh against his lips. “I’ll buy you some to keep.”</p><p>Darius chuckled, “You’re too good to me.”</p><p>Brian’s shrugged, acting more casual than he felt. “Least I could do.”</p><p>Darius leaned forward and kissed him. His hand on his back stroked up and down the length of his back and even lower. When Darius broke it, he turned himself onto his back, tightening his arm so Brian could move further into his chest. “How long till next time?” He asked.</p><p>“Not too long.”</p><p>“Good,” Darius murmured into his hair. The rise and fall of his chest began to slow and deepen. “I like having you here, Brian,” he then said.</p><p>Brian kissed the center of his chest. “I like being here.”</p><p>“Good,” he said again, in little more than a whisper. “Good.”</p>
<hr/><p>Brian had already made his way downstairs the following morning by the time Darius had risen. He was still in the same (wonderfully tight) shorts but had grabbed one of Darius’ larger shirts before coming down. Darius found him on a stool at the kitchen counter, eating cereal out of a large bowl.</p><p>Darius walked up to and opened the fridge, pulling a gallon of juice out before kicking it close. He leaned against it, watching Brian eat. Brian, mouth full, raised his eyebrows in questioning. “Nothing,” Darius said, “I just don’t remember giving you permission to eat my food.”</p><p>Brian stopped chewing. After a few seconds of silence, all while maintaining eye contact, he picked up the box of cereal and poured; his second helping, even larger than the first. He poured the milk right after, still unblinking. Darius snorts, cutting off eye contact with a muffled laugh and turning to replace the juice. Metal tapping on the counter caught his attention, twisting back around to find Brian holding out a second spoon.</p><p>Darius stepped around the counter, pulling another stool up next to Brian. “Have you heard from the girls?”</p><p>Darius fished for his phone with his free hand. “Amanda’s supposed to call 9:30 on the dot.” He put it down on the counter. “Few more minutes.”</p><p>Brian nods and keeps eating, letting the silence pass between them and feeling none of it. He had struggled with nerves when they had first started spending time together. With all their competing, he had never really learned about Darius, he never knew what to say. Now that he did, he didn’t feel the need to say anything. This was all he really needed, Darius pressed up against him, feeling his heat, sharing out his bowl like some of-</p><p>“Bri?”</p><p>“Yes, yeah?” He said quickly, never even realizing he had been out of it. Darius had put his spoon down. “Something wrong?”</p><p>Darius clasped his fingers together on the counter, staring down at them. Brian reached out and took hold of his shoulder and his head turned just slightly. Then he asked, “You enjoy what we’re doing, right?”</p><p>Brian’s brows furrowed. “Of course.” He let out a small chuckle. “Thought that was obvious.” Darius said nothing, shrugging weakly and still refusing to meet Brian’s eyes. Brian’s hand went to Darius’, taking his fingers. “You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” he asked, “If you’re not-”</p><p>Darius was already shaking his head. “I am,” he assured. His fingers unclasped and took hold of Brian’s. “Really. You’re...the best I’ve had in a long time.”</p><p>“Then what is wrong?”</p><p>He was staring down again, at his hand in Brian’s, whose thumb began to rub the back of his hand. “Is that all you want, Brian?”</p><p>The thumb stopped. Stretching silence was broken when the phone rang. Darius sighed and took it up, standing from the stool and walking away some distance. Brian could hear someone on the phone though he couldn’t tell who was speaking. He pushed the bowl away and stood, coming up behind Darius.</p><p>It was Daisy he was speaking to on Amanda’s phone, as Amanda was in the bathroom. He asked all the usual questions and the answers were all favorable. Yes, the girls had fun. Yes there was enough food. No issues whatsoever. The others were already heading back home.</p><p>Brian suddenly took hold of the phone before Darius could hang up. “Hey, Daisy, hold on a minute!” He takes a few steps back when Darius turns on him. “Come with Amanda, when she starts coming back,” he tells her, “Pack your things. You’re probably gonna be here for the night.”</p><p>“Okay…is there a reason?” She asks and he could almost see the look of confusion on her face.</p><p>Brian’s eyes flick up from the ground to Darius. They stay there. “Darius and I will be going out later tonight. You can spend the day here. I’ll be here too.”</p><p>“Oh! Are we all doing something?”</p><p>Brian’s lips tugged upwards in a smile. “Nah, sweetie. Not this time. Just me and him. I’ll see you when you get here.” Goodbyes were quick and the call ended. Brian held out the phone to Darius, watching him.</p><p>It was a few seconds before he reached over and took it back. Darius cleared his throat. “Any place in mind?”</p><p>“There’s this pizza place, close to Jim and Kim’s. You know it?”</p><p>“I know it.”</p><p>“We can eat. We can talk…”</p><p>Darius smiled. “We talk plenty.”</p><p>“With clothes on, Darius.”</p><p>“As for eating…”</p><p>“Alright, that’s enough.”</p><p>Darius laughed. It was loud and strong, filling the room they were in. Then he let out a long exhale. Coupled with the sense of relief Brian felt from him, it gave the impression he was releasing a breath he had been holding for a long time. “I’d like that,” he said, “I’d like that very much.”</p><p>Darius steps up to him and reaches past, taking hold of the bowl. He holds it up to Brian, who shakes his head, indicating he can get rid of it.</p><p>Darius pulls back and before he could completely, Brian takes hold of his elbow and kisses him. It was a long one, soft and deep, leaving them both breathless. “You go change,” Darius told him, “I can get started on breakfast for the girls.”</p><p>“How long do we have?”</p><p>“About an hour,” Darius answered, “I promised her time to raid your fridge.”</p><p>Brian’s mouth curled into a grin, all sharp and bright teeth, took hold of his hand and started tugging him towards the stairs. “Should I give her thirty more minutes?” Darius asked, his voice dropping low, his other hand reaching over and already pulling apart the strings on Brian’s shorts.</p><p>Brian only took the hem of his own shirt, ripped it over his head and kissed him again.</p>
<hr/><p>“Was that my dad, Daisy?” Amanda shouted from the upper floor.</p><p>“Yeah.” Daisy put the phone back down on the counter. Then she said, “I’ll be going back with you to your house.”</p><p>“Something going on?” Footsteps pattered across the floor, followed by the sound of rummaging.</p><p>“My dad’s taking yours on a date tonight.”</p><p>The rummaging stopped. “Really?!”</p><p>“Yeah. Dinner, I think.”</p><p>“Ugh, finally!” The rummaging went on, a different closet this time.</p><p>“I honestly thought they had been dating already,” Daisy mused, “Ever since the county fair. I even saw them kiss. What have they been doing this whole time?”</p><p>The rummaging stopped again. Total, ringing silence took its place. Daisy stepped back over to the base of the stairs. “Amanda? Amanda, something wrong?”</p><p>“No!” she answered, a little too quickly, “No, not at all! Just...hey, where does your dad keep his stash of snacks?”</p><p>Daisy answered immediately. “Closet closest to his door, behind the boxes he still thinks I’m not strong enough to move.”</p><p>The rummaging started up again. “Ah! Jackpot!” Amanda crowed, “Come and help me pack these. Tonight, we feast!”</p><p>Daisy grabbed Amanda’s phone and jogged up the stairs, “Did your dad give you permission to raid my dad’s closet?”</p><p>“Permission? He gave me his blessing!” She took her phone and opened it. “As long as I take inventory.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“My guess, so he could find what Brian likes.” Amanda pushed further into the closet.</p><p>“Because they’re dating.” Daisy nodded, “Just now...dating. They weren’t dating all those times they spent together after the carnival…”</p><p>“Look, Daisy,” Amanda interrupted, her words muffled slightly. She returned, a mini bar of chocolate between her teeth. Amanda bit through the wrapper. “Have you heard the phrase, ‘ignorance is bliss’?”</p><p>The young girl scoffed, “Yes.”</p><p>“Do you know what it means?”</p><p>“Yes, I-”</p><p>“No, you don’t,” Amanda cut off, her voice becoming ominous and strangely light. Her eyes, staring off and unfocused into the distance, suddenly swiveled towards her so quickly, Daisy nearly took a step back. “But you will,” she muttered, “In a few years, you will look back on this day, realize <em> exactly </em> what was going on and you will.”</p>
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